Kentucky Assistive Technology Services (KATS) Network Assistive Technology Resource Guide

The NIMAC is a federally-funded, national file repository that makes NIMAS (National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard) files available to states for the production of accessible formats for students with print disabilities. Created by IDEA 2004, NIMAS and the NIMAC help ensure that accessible K-12 instructional materials can be produced and distributed to students as quickly as possible, by providing a national standard source file format (NIMAS), and a central digital file repository (NIMAC).

The NIMAC currently receives NIMAS files from over one hundred K-12 textbook publishers. These files are available for download to Authorized Users in the United States and its territories through an online database. Once downloaded, files are used to create a variety of specialized formats, such as braille, audio, or digital text, on behalf of qualifying K-12 students who are blind, visually impaired, or print disabled. (The NIMAC is not able to serve students in higher education.)

The NIMAC now has over 35,000 files available. NIMAS is the only format the NIMAC receives, and it is an XML-based source file format. “Source file” means that files are not student-ready and are not intended for distribution directly to students for use in the classroom. In most all cases, some type of conversion process is required before NIMAS can be used by the student.

Because NIMAS files are not student-ready, direct access to the NIMAC is provided to a small number of Authorized Users in each state who are responsible for converting and/or distributing the accessible versions to eligible students. These Authorized Users can also assign files for direct download by Accessible Media Producers who are registered with the NIMAC.